Complete guide to visit Chiapas

Visit Chiapas is an opportunity to try new experiences. It is the Mexican state with the most impressive natural landscapes, with lakes, waterfalls and canyons, “pueblos mágicos” (typical villages) and archaeological sites. Its charm also lies in the fact that it is still a hidden jewel. Discovering Chiapas is understanding the essence of Mexico but also enjoying a protected paradise.

Climate in Chiapas

The climate in more than half of the state is hot and humid. In the north of Chiapas, rainfall is frequent throughout the year, but in the rest of the state, it only rains during the rainy season, which is the summer.  Temperatures range from a high of 30ºC to a low of 17ºC.

When is the best time to travel to Chiapas?

According to Rutopía‘s travel specialists, the best time to visit Chiapas is between November and February. Indeed, in winter, the climate is more pleasant and outside of the rainy season, more suitable for swimming in the waterfalls and rivers.

Between March and May the temperatures in some areas exceed 40ºC.

Although there is no bad time to visit Chiapas, we suggest avoiding school vacations and bridges (especially Semana Santa in April).

Chiapas is the second most diverse state in Mexico in terms of natural resources. As such, it often attracts independent travelers, bagpackers or families and has many places to stay as well as various activities which we will discuss below.

San Cristobal de las Casas

San Cristóbal de las Casas is located 50 minutes from the capital Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Its architecture and its colonial past and heritage, visible on every corner, are an invitation to stroll on a terrace and enjoy the view with a coffee grown by indigenous communities.

You should take the time to contemplate the San Cristóbal Mártir Cathedral, a 17th century baroque building.

A detour to the Amber Museum, which has a collection of more than three hundred pieces of jewelry, amulets and hand-carved art objects, is also recommended.

The Grutas de Rancho Nuevo is a perfect destination for a family stay. This space has, in addition to its camping and barbecue area, outdoor games of all kinds, hiking trails, zip lines, climbing walls. The main interest of the place, however, is geological, as it is a formation of stalactites and stalagmites.

Cañón del Sumidero and Chiapa de Corzo

Walking through the town of Chiapa de Corzo is a guarantee of being able to admire handicrafts and enjoy the local gastronomy. Take some minutes to enter the small neighborhood chapels such as San Jacinto or El Calvario in which are preserved beautiful portraits carved in wood dating from the Renaissance. The plaza, surrounded by small stores and food stalls, is also worth a visit.

The Cañón de Sumidero National Park is a geological fault of more than a thousand meters in height that extends for thirty-two kilometers along the Grijalva River. The park is home to spectacular waterfalls, caves, an extremely rich flora and fauna and with a little luck you will see crocodiles.

The Waterfalls of Roberto Barrios

The Roberto Barrios Waterfalls, also known as the Bascán Valley Waterfalls, are located just a few minutes from the city of Palenque in the quiet Selva Lacandona.

Montebello lagoons

With its 6 thousand hectares of jungle and colorful lagoons, this is one of the most natural places in the country and a must-see if you visit Chiapas.

You will have the opportunity to paddle on a traditional wooden raft on one of the most emblematic lakes of Montebello National Park, enjoying the deep shade of blue that its waters offer playing with the sunlight.

The Chiflón or Velo de Novia

Velo de novia is a set of waterfalls that form over a kilometer. The view along the way is impressive and at the end of the walk you can take a swim. If you decide to do so, make sure it’s in a licensed area and enjoy the turquoise color. Activities such as zip-lining are also possible.

You can also practice canyoning with jumps up to 7 meters or if you prefer, relax in one of our hammocks in the shade listening to the sounds of the forest and the waterfalls.

The Selva Lacandona

An itinerary in Chiapas would not be complete without a few days in the Selva Lacandona.

Sleeping in the middle of a spectacular jungle, crossing the rapids and releasing the adrenaline to the maximum, then relaxing in a hammock on the banks of a river, are some of the experiences that Chiapas offers, without forgetting the shared moments with inhabitants of the Mayan communities.

The Lacandons are the descendants of this civilization and are still very attached to their ancestral beliefs and traditions.

The Triunfo

The triunfo, the “forest of fog” and the tropical jungle of Soconusco are the natural spaces that concentrate the major biodiversity of Central and North America due to the quantity of water that is found there.

The Tacaná Volcano

The village of Talquian, at the foot of the Tacaná volcano – the highest point in Chiapas at 4,093 meters – is a quiet destination off the beaten track. Here the activities are mountain hiking or more leisurely walks to discover the flowers and cross the jungle to the Guatemalan border.

It is a destination that is developing and offers a complete tourist infrastructure and a range of activities for all tastes while remaining authentic.

Rutopia has many partners in several states of Mexico, beyond Chiapas, and offers personalized trips according to your wishes.

‍